Automatic cut-out and compensating socket.



G. T. DUNKLIN. AUTOMATIC OUT-OUT AND OOMPENSATING SOCKET.

APPLICATION FILED MAB..21, 1912.

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e m wz G. T. DUNKLIN. AUTOMATIC GUT-OUT AND GOMPENSATING SOCKET. APPLICATION FILED HAILZI, 1912.

1,082,683. PatentedDec. 30, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.'

, to the resistance of. such UNITED STATES I PATENT OFFICE.

GILBERT r. DUNK-LIN, or SOUTH BEND,

INDIANA.

AUTOMATIC CUT-OUT AND COMPENSATING SOCKET.

Specification of Letters Iatent. Patented Dec, 30, 1913,

Application filed March 21, 1912. Serial No. 685,231.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GILBERT T. DUNKLIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at South Bend, in the county of St. Joseph and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic ()utOut and Compensating Sockets, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in automatic regulators for electric circuits supplying current to several power COD; suming units connected in series and more particularly to a'regulator of this character especially adapted for use in connection: with series lighting circuits.

One of the objects of the present inven-' tion is the provision of a regulator of this character which will automatically maintain the continuity of the circuit in the event ofthe failure of an single unit to operate because of the burning out of the lamp or bei cause of the disconnection of such unit. andto provide means for preventing the increase I of current in the circuit above the normal current flowing before the failure of such unit.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a regulator of this'character' embodying means for automatically throwing in to the circuit, upon the failure of any of the units therein, a resistance equal unit, thus regulat- 7 ing the resistance of the circuit to keep the current constant.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a regulator of this character. of sucha construction that after the regulator has been actuated b the failure of one of the units of the circuit, it will be automatically restored to its normal position when such unit has been replaced by a new unit.

--A further object of the present invention is the provision of a regulator of this character in which means is provided for varying the amount of resistance which is interposed in the circuit upon failure. of one of the units thereof, thus rendering the reguable of use in connection with various sizes of lamps made for a given ourrent value.

-A' further object of'the invention is the provision of a regulator of-tliis character which is formed as a part of a lamp socket which is-adapted for use in connection with y the ordinary incandescent lamps.

l ment d for a purpose to being shown connected in a series lighting section taken on line clrcuit; Fig. 2 IS a 3-3 ofFig. 1, Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the socket illustrated in Fig. 1, parts being broken away. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the socket illustrated in Fig. 1.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, A designates the body of an electric lamp socket which is shown connected in a series lighting circuit, such circuit being illustrated diagrammatically. The body A of the lamp socket is conveniently formed of porcelain or other insulating material and is provided with a recess in the base thereof in which is positioned a metallic shell a which isthreaded to receive the threaded metallic base of an electric lamp, which constitutes one of the terminals of the lamp. The metallic shell is electrically connected in any convenient manner to a terminal'plate B which is conveniently positioned on the top of the body A of the lamp socket and is fashioned for connection with one of the line wires of the circuit.

C designates a second metallic terminal plate which is conveniently secured upon the top of the body A of the lamp socket and is fashioned for connection with the other line wire of the circuit. The terminal plate C is electrically connected to a metallic sleeve 0 which is mounted within the central portion of the body A of the lamp socket, the lower end of said sleeve extending downwardly. to the recess formed in the lower portion of thebody A. Positioned within thefsleev'e c is a plunger I), the lower end of'which is provided with a metallic head d which is normall held projected within the metallic shell 0:, by means of a suitable coil spring (1' which encircles the plunger D and is interposed between the head (1 thereof and a suitable shoulder formed in the interior of the sleeve 0. The upper end of the plunger D projects above the top of the sleeve 0 and is provided with an enlargebe hereinafter more particularly set forth. With the construction thus described, when a lamp is secured in the socket, the threaded metallic base of the lamp, which constitutes one of the ter minals of the lamp will engage the metal shell as of the socket and as the lamp is screwed to position, the other terminal thereof will engage the head all of the plunger D and move the plunger upwardly until the head thereof is caused to contact with the lower end of the sleeve 0, thus connecting the filament of the lamp in the circuit.

Wound upon the exterior of the body A of the socket is a resistance coil E, the upper end of which is electrically connected to the terminal plate B, and the other end of which, as well as intermediate points there of, being electrically connected to a contact member F, which is positioned upon the top of the body A of the socket. When the lamp which is secured in the body A of the socket burns out or is removed from the socket, an electrical connection is made between the terminal plate C and the contact member F, as will be hereinafter more particularly set forth, thus throwing the resistance 'c'oil E into the circuit to compensate for the resistance of the lamp which has. been burned out or removed. I

In orderto make the socket available, for use with various sizes of lamps made for a given current value, means are provided for varying the amount of resistance which is thus introduced into the circuit when a lamp is burned out or removed. To this end a v plurality of electrical conductors E" are embe interpose ployed which are conveniently the form of metal stri s disposedin grooves so as to between the resistancecoil E and the body A of the socket, said stripsbe; ing insulated from the resistance coil by means of strips of fiber or other suitable insulating material secured over the outer faces thereof. The cond'uctors'E" are ofdifferent lengths and the lower ends a 0i all o said conductors are electrically connected to various points of the resistance coil E, the longest of'said conductors bein connected to the extreme lower portion 0% the resistance coil and the shortest of the conductors being connected to said resistance coil adjacent the top thereof. The upper ends of the conductors E are connected to a plurality of contact members E which are embedded in the top of the body A, said contact members E bein conveniently arranged in the arc of a circ e. Pivotally connected to the contact member F is a switch member F which is movable over the faces of the contact members E which are connected. to the conductors E, so that an one of said contact members E may be e ectrically connected with the contact member 1?. Fromthis construction it will be apparent that the switch member F" may be adjusted to cause either the whole resistance coil E or any desired portion thereof to be thrown into the circuit, so that the same socket is rendered available for use with lamps using different current values. Means is conveniently provided for fastening the switch member F to any desired one of E and to this end the contact members are conveniently provided with threaded recesses e therein which are adapted to be engaged by a threaded screw f carried by the switch member F.

G designates an electro-magnet connected in shunt with the terminal plates 13, and C, said magnet being wound to have a higher resistance than the lamp which is to be used in the socket.

G designates the armature of the magnet G which is pivotally supported intermediate its end upon the top of the body A of the socket. A suitable spring g connected to the front end of the armature serves to normally hold the same in its retracted position.

H. designates a spring contactiarm which is secured to the contact plate 0 and extends transversely of the top of the body A of the socket. The spring contact arm H lies alongside of and extends beyond the upper end of the plunger D and the free end of said arm is bent outwardly and then forwardly to provide an otfset part h which is adapted to contact with the contact member F, unless the spring ar is held in a position to prevent such conta t. The laterally bent portion of the spring arm' H which connects the offset portion h of said arm with the main portion thereof constitutes a back stop for the armature G of the magnet G, the tail piece of said armature being normally held in engagement with said back stop by its spring g. Secured to the offset parth of the spring arm H adjacent the laterally extending part which connects said voffset part to the main portion of the arm is a block h which abuts the end of the tail piece of the armature G when the same is in its retracted position and said block is of such a thickness that as long as it engages the end of'the armature G, the offset ortion h of the spring contact arm H wil be held out of engagement with the contact member F. The main portion of the sprin arm H adjacent the plunger D is rovide with a laterally projecting lug h w ich lies in the path of the enlargement d at the u per end of the said plunger. The laterally projecting lug h. of the spring arm is positioned above the enlargement d of the plunger when said lunger is in its lowermost position and slow said enlargement when the plunger is in its uppermost position. i

As long as the lamp burns roperly or is not disconneotedfrom the soc et, the yieldable contact arm H will be held out of enthe contact members from terminal plategC through the magnet to terminal plate B and from thence to the generator. As the resistance of this magnet is-greater than the resistance of the flow from terminal plate 0 1 arm H, contact member F,

broken lamp, the total resistance of the circult is momentarily increased, thus reduc' ing thecurrent and protecting the other lamps on the circuit from burning out.

Enough current flows, however, to energize the electro-magnet G which at once attracts its armature Gr, thus moving the tail piece of the armature from off the block 71- carried by the spring arm, and permitting said spring arm to move to a position to bring the offset it thereof into contact with the contact member F. The current .fol lowing now the course of least resistance will through spring switch F, one of the contact members E and the c0nductor E connected thereto, the resistance coil E and from thence to terminal plate B. As the regulating resistance introduced by the coil E is equal to the resistance of the burnt-out lamp, the total resistance in the circuit is now restoredtoits original value before the lamp failed and the electro-magnet G is again in shunt with the terminals C and B. No change now takes place until the burnt-out lamp is renewed. When, however, the burnt-out lamp is removed from the shell a and a new lamp is screwed thereinto, the plunger D will be elevated and the enlargement (Z thereof will engage the lug k projecting from the spring arm H and shift said arm laterally, thus moving the offset portion h thereofout of engagement with the contact F and permitting the armature G to be returned by its spring to a position where it will hold the spring arm out ofengagement with the contact F until the new lamp burns out or is removed from its socket.

While I have illustrated a convenient embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that many changes may be made to the form and construction therein shown without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim, is:

1. The combination with an electric circuit, an electric lamp having its terminals connected in series in said circuit, a resistance coil connected with one of the lamp terminals, a contact member connected with the resistance coil, means acting automatically to connect said contact member with the other lamp terminal'when the current through the lamp is broken, and meanslactuated by the replacement of the lamp for breaking the current through said contact member.

2. The combination with an electric circuit, anelectric lamp having its terminals connected in series insaid circuit. a resistance in series with the terminals of said lamp when the current through the lamp is broken, means includingan electro-magnet connected in shunt with the lamp ter'- minals, and means actuated by the replacement of the lamp for automatically throwing the resistance out of circuit.

3. A lamp socket for electric lamps comprising a body provided with terminals adapted for connection in an electric circuit, a resistance coil wound upon the exterior of said body and having one end thereof connected to one of said terminals, automatically operated means for connecting the other terminal with the resistance coil upon rupture of the lamp, and means actuated by the placement of a lamp in the socket for breaking the current through the resistance coil.

4. The combination with an electric circuit, an electric lamp having its terminals connected in series in said circuit, a resist-j ance coil having one end connected to one of the lamp terminals, a contact member, ad- 3ustable means for connecting said contact member to different portions of said resistance coil, means acting automatically to connect said contact member to the other lamp terminal when the current through the lamp is broken, said means including an electric magnet connected in shunt with the lamp terminals, and means actuated by the replacement of the lamp for breaking the circuit through said cont-act member.

5. A lamp socketfor electric lamps having terminals adapted for connection in a lamp circuit, a resist ce coil carried by the lamp socket "and hitting one end thereof connected to one of the terminals of the socket, a contact member connected to the other end of said resistance coil, a yieldablecontact arm connected to the other of said socket terminals and adapted to engage said contact member to connect the resistance coil in series with the socket terminals, a movable member normally lying in the path of said yieldable arm to hold the same out of engagement with said contact member,

and a high resistance electro-magnet for shifting said movable member connected in shunt with the socket terminals.

6. A lamp socket for electric lamps having terminals adapted for connection in a lamp circuit, a resistance coil carried by the lamp socket and having one end thereof connected to one of the terminals of the socket, a contact member connected to the other end of said resistance coil, a yieldable contact arm connected to the other of said socket terminals and adapted to engage said ture for said magnet, a spring for normally holding the armature retracted, said armature being provided with a portion adapted when the armature is retracted to lie in the path of vthe yieldable arm to hold the same gut of engagement with said contact mem- 7 A lamp socket for electric lamps provided with a shell for the reception of a lamp and having terminals adapted for connection in an electric circuit, a resistance coil carried by the lamp socket and having one end thereof connected to one end of one of the lamp terminals, a contact member connected to the other end of said resistance, a yieldable contact arm connected to the other of said socket terminals and adapted to engage said contact member to conmeet the resistance coil in series with the socket terminals, a high resistance electromagnet connected in series with the socket terminals, a pivotal armature for said magnet, a spring vfor normally holding the armature retracted, said armature being provided With a portion adapted when the armature is retracted to lie in the path of the yieldable armv to hold the same out of engagement with saidcontact member, and means for shifting said yieldable arm laterally, said means including a port-ion normally projecting within the shell of the socket so as to be engaged by a lamp when the same is secured therein.

8. A lamp socket for electric lamps provided With a shell for the reception of a lamp and having terminals adapted for connection in an electric circuit, a resistance coil carried by the lamp socket and having one end thereof connected to one end of one of the lamp terminals, a contact member connected to the other end of said resistance, a yieldable contact arm connected to the other of said socket terminals and adapted to engage said contact member to connect the resistance coil in series with the socket terminals, a high resistance elect-romagnet connected in s unt with the socket terminals, a pivoted armature for said magnet, a spring for normally holding the armature retracted, said armature bein pro-- vided with a portion adapted when t e armature is retracted to lie in the path of the yieldable arm to hold the same out of engagement with said contact member, a plunger movably supported. in the socket, and a spring for normally holding said plunger with the lower end thereof projecting into the shell of the socket, said plunger and yieldable arm being provided with cooperating portions for causing a lateral movement of the arm when the plunger is shifted.

-9. A lam socket for electric lamps comprising a ody provided with terminals adapted for connection in an electric circuit, a resistance coil wound upon the exterior of said body and having one end thereof connected to one of the socket terminals, and means for connecting the other end of said resistance coil to the other terminal of the lamp socket, said means including an electro-magnet connected in shunt with the socket terminals,

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GILBERT T. DUNKLIN.

Witnesses: Y

L. W. HAMMERSCHMIDT, L. W. Coon. 

